Container and closure therefor



Nov; 9, 1948. J. HQHL I 2,453,664

CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed Jan. 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 22 X f umllllllllllllnlllllllllllllllllll" 4illllllllllllllll l llllllllllllllllliii -1.- "({I/(IIIIIA/IMW 3 mm "JOHNHOHL "Nov. 9, 1948. J. HOHL 2,453,364

comrunaa AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed Jan. 19} 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 contents.

Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED, STAT CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR John Kohl, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company,

Ohio

a corporation of Application January 19, 1946, Serial No. 642,285

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvement in containers and more especially glass jars, or the like, which are intended to be hermetically sealed by means of a metal closure.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a complete package in which the closure may be applied and aiiixed to the container quite rapidly and with positiv assurance of a reliable hermetic seal. yet may with comparative ease be removed to permit access to the To date this combination of advantages has been unavailable. that is, if the closure provides an absolutely reliable seal, it is difflcult to remove and on the other hand if the closure is readily removable, it is incapable of performing the necessary sealing function. I have overcome these objections and succeeded in my efforts to develop a package which both preserves the contents and permits ready removal of the closure, when desired.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a package in which the closure'maintains a satisfactory seal irrespective of whether the container is vacuumized, or subjected to relatively high internal pressure, yet may be easily removed with a prying implement.

It is also an object of my invention to provide closure elevated by internal pressure and mea package wherein the closure, sealing surface and closure retaining means are such that excessive internal pressure may be vented to the atmosphere without affecting the hermetic seal, other than to break it momentarily incident to the venting step.

It is likewise an object of my invention to provide a glass container having a. closure retainin bead, or rib, embodying venting means which bead contributes materially to the retention of an hermetic seal, while the venting means permitsventing of excess pressure and facilitates removal of the closure. With respect to the latter step, experience teaches that in opening a vacuumized coffee container, in which internal pressure has developed for example. where the closure is other than the screw threaded type. the closure blows off violently incident to upward prying thereof and as a consequence the closure may iniure the person opening the package, but in any event loose coffee is spilled upon the table and/or floor. In my package however, the head, or rib. holds the closure against such blowing off and an initial complete venting takes place permitting equalization of the internal and external pressure prior to complete separation of the closure from the container. Thus I have supplied all of the various essential requirements of a perfect container.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.-

In the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating iny invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but shows one edge of the closure pried up to vent just prior to complete removal of said closure.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view showing the container and closure providing an hermetically sealed package, the closure being held in place solely by vacuum.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the closure partially lifted from its sealing position as in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but shows the chanically secured against such displacement as would completely break the hermetic seal.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but shows the cap position when venting high pressure.

Fig. 'lis a top plan view of the container showing the venting grooves.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing a container and closure especially designed for packaging processed foods, etc., the closure being illustrated in the position occupied when the container is properly vacuumized.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but shows the closure in its outermost sealing position which is assumed incident to a substantial decrease in the degree of vacuum.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of my invention.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the container, or jar III, which may be formed of glass, ,or other preferred material, includes a neck II, a pry-off shoulder II and head I2 of a circular contour, defining a filling and discharge opening l3 and a slip-over side seal closure l4 intended to hermetically seal the container under any of varying conditions to which the package may be subjected. In .the latter connection I particularly have in mind that the seal will be maintained in the presence of either vacuum, or pressure, within the container, as well as at high altitudes. where other types of closures (screw threaded closures excepted) blow off and break the seal because of the rarefied atmosphere encountered at such altitudes.

With respect to the container per se, the head I2 thereof includes an annular external retaining bead, or rib l5, generally semi-circular in cross-sectional shape and positioned so that its upper margin merges into the outer end surface of the container head l2. The major upper portion IQ of this rib is formed on a longer radius than the lower portion IT in order to provide a merges with the upper margin of .the first named primary sealing surface l8. This secondary sealing surface I9 is inclined upwardly and inwardly,

which connects it to the surface of the bead. or rib l5. This radius, or curved surface, or at least a major part thereof. constitutes a stop, or abutment 20, with which the closure is engaged at times and by means of which it is secured against premature removal, or blowing off, as will be brought out hereinafter. Thus I provide an annular groove, or channel 2|, lying between the retaining bead i5 and the primary sealing surface l8 and utilize one wall (the lower) of the groove in forming a part of the secondary sealing surface, which, under certain conditions to be described. cooperates with the closure in maintaining hermetic sealing of the container. v

The rib, or bead, is provided-with an annular series of venting channels, or grooves 2|, which function to release excess pressure created within the container and/or admit outside air incident to initial prying up of the closure as a preliminary plane, with the bottom of the annular groove 2|,

with which each venting channel is in direct communication. Preferably the lower part of the channel bottom curves outwardly and downwardly and merges with the upper margin of the secondary sealing surface l9 which in part constitutes a portion of the lower wall of the annular groove 2|. The function of these elements will be apparent hereinafter.

The closure H for this container preferably is formed of sheet metal, although other suitable material may be employed. It consists of a circular top 22, a depending annular skirt, or flange 23 and a sleeve type compressible sealing gasket 24, the latter formed'of rubber, or a rubber-like composition. The skirt includes a substantially cylindrical upper portion 25 and an outwardly flared lower part 26, the latter accommodating a major part of the gasket which lies against said flared part and is secured against independent bodily movement upward by means of a hollow bead 21 which securely clinches, or grips, the lower margin of the gasket. The adjacent portions of both the cylindrical upper part and the flared lower part constitute a gasket constricting, or compressing means between which and the primary, or secondary sealing surface, or both, the gasket is suihciently compressed to provide an hermetic seal.

It is of vital importance that the juncture point of the upper cylindrical part and lower flared part of the skirt be so related to the top portion of merging at its upper margin with a short radius the closure .and primary sealing surface of the container, that at such times as it is desired to maintain an hermetic seal. this point will be positioned substantially opposite to said primary sealing'surface, or at least opposite its juncture with the secondary sealing surface. Otherwise insufiicient compression of the gasket-would be obtained and the necessary hermetic seal could not be effected. Assuming thatthe container has been filled with coffee, for example, the closure, in the presence of vacuum, is applied and affixed simply by positioning it upon the container head and then applying top .pressure thereto. Thus the closure assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings wherein the gasket is compressed against the primary sealing surface. long as sufficient vacuum is maintained, it alone retains the closure in the initial sealing position. If however, vacuum is lost, or reduced to a negligible degree, the inherent plastic flow characteristic of the gasket (a rubber, or rubber-like compound) causes the closure to slide upward until the gasket enters the annular groove, or channel 2|, and contacts the abutment 20. Thereafter, this abutment, or stop, mechanically secures the closure against premature removal and at this point the secondary sealing surface i9 functions together with a portion 01' the primary sealing surface in maintaining the hermetic seal.

Should excessive internal pressure build up within the container, as a result, for example, of the formation of carbon dioxide gas in a coffee package, such gas will flow through the vents 2 i i and momentarily separate the gasket from the secondary sealing surface as indicated in Fig. 6 and escape to the atmosphere. Since such break in the seal is only momentary and merely permits the release of excess pressure, it does not affect in any manner, or degree, the hermetic sealing of the container.

When it is desired to completely remove the closure for access to the contents, 9, prying instrument I is inserted between the pry-off ledge Ii and the head at the bottom edge of the skirt and used as a lever to move the closure upward in a segment of its periphery. This prying operation simultaneously distorts the skirt slightly, bending it more or less radially outward in this area and separates the gasket in this zone from the sealing surfaces on the container. Thus air is admitted to the container in the event it had held the vacuum, or releases the internal pressure. if it existed. While this is taking place,

\closure.

In a modified form of my invention (Fig. 10) the containeris provided ,with an external annular retaining bead, or rib 28 and pry-oil ledge 28. Venting channels 30 are formed transversely of the bead. The closure includes a' top portion 3| and depending skirt 32, which is congasket Slightly and allow escape of such pressure to the atmosphere through the vents 80 immediately following which the gasket reseats and reseals the container without having admitted any outside air. Actual complete removal by means of a prying implement is preceded by venting as in the preferred form of our invention.

In vacuum packaging of products which do not develop pressure, as does coffee, for example. I omit the venting feature, since it is unnecessary and modify the finish, or sealing surface and bead contour and relationship between them substantially as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. The major upper part of the bead, or rib 31 is formed on alonger radius that the previously described bead, to provide a longer camming, or guiding, surface for centering the closure C. The primary and secondary sealing surfaces 39 and 38, respectively, are spaced below the bead, being separated from the latter by an annular groove, or channel 40, the lower wall of which merges into the secondary surface and forms a part thereof. The upper wall of the groove which merges with the lower terminus of the camming surface of the rib, or bead, provides a stop, or abutment ti adapted for engagement with the gasket 42 in the event vacuum drops below a predetermined degree, or is lost completely. The gasket and closure are formed and assembled as previously described with the exception that the notches in the gasket clinching bead 21 are omitted.

In this form of my invention, the closure is applied in the presence ofvacuum, or steam'which condenses in the head space of the container and creates a vacuum, and the sealing gasket 42 initially seals against both the primary and secondary sealing surfaces. The closure is thus positioned, solely by vacuum, so that the gasket is compressed against both of these sealing surfaces simultaneously, as shown in Fig. 8.

In some instances the'product being packed is cooked in the sealed containers and consequently a rather high internal pressure develops, causing the closure to move upwardly until the gasket engages the abutment 4! I. Thereupon such opening movement of the closure stops. Incident to cooling of the product a vacuum is formed and immediately the closure moves inward, or downward and solely by means of such vacuum, the gasket is held in engagement with the sealing surfaces. Such outward movement of the closure may also take place if the degree of vacuum drops considerably, or is lost. In this event the abutment is engaged by the gasket and mechanically holds the closure against such displacement as would break the hermetic seal.

Although the complete package embodying the above structural features will withstand very high internal pressures without breaking the hermetic seal, the closure mayquit-e easily beremoved by means of any suitable prying implement as in the preceding form of my invention, that is, by inserting the implement betweenthe bottom edge of the skirt and shoulder on the container and using such implement as a lever. Such ease of removal, in part at least, is due to the maximum diameter ofthe bead, or rib, being slightly less than the maximum diameter of the sealing surfaces. As a consequence, the bead or rib, while large enough to retain the closure against removal solely by the creation of internal pressure which of courseis applied equally over the entire inner surface of the closure thus rendering the entire area of' the abutment effective as a retaining medium, is of such proportions and so related 6 to the annular groove that prying up the closure at one or two closely spaced points readily removes the same. In such removal step. the gasket is subjected to relatively high compression in the zone opposite to the prying point and only slightly compressed at the point of prying. Thus.

the closure iseasily slipped over the bead at said point of pryin 4 Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim: 1. In combination, a container having a generally circular neck defining a filling opening, an, annular external bead formed on the neck in close proximity to said opening, there being an annular groove immediately beneath said bead and an annular sealing surface below the groove, venting means extending across the head into said groove, a closure for hermetically sealing the container including an attaching skirt, a sleeve gasket secured at its lower end to the lower margin of the skirt against bodily sliding movement relative thereto, said gasket adapted under some sealing conditions to contact said sealing surface and under both conditions to engage both the I sealing surface and said bead and thereby retain the closure against axial movement sufficient to break the hermetic seal.

2. In combination, a container having a circular wall defining a filling opening, an annular external closure retaining rib on said wall, superposed merging primary and secondary sealing surfaces encircling the wall immediately below lar wall defining a filling opening, an annular external closure retaining rib on said wall, superposed merging primary and secondary sealing surfaces encircling the wall immediately below the rib, there being an annular groove between the rib and said sealing surfaces, and a venting channel extending across the rib and communicating with said annular groove, a closure comprising a top portion, 5, depending annular skirt, said skirt including a flared lower part and substantially cylindrical upper part, adjacent areas of both said parts constituting a gasket constricting means, a sleeve gasket lying against the flared part and extending upward into the cylindrical part and means securing the gasket against bodily movement upward, the area constituting the gasket constricting means being so located with respect to the top portion oi the closure and the retaining rib that it is opposed to either, or both sealing surfaces when hermetically sealing the v container.

sealing surface.

5. A container including a circular neck defining a filling opening, an annular external closure retaining bead formed on-the neck in close proximity to said opening, there being an annular groove immediately beneath the bead, venting means extending across said bead and opening at one end in the groove, an annular primary sealing surface spaced below saidgroove and an annular secondary "sealing surface lying between the primary sealing surface and groove and in part constituting the lower wall of the latter, a closure telescoped over the wall and comprising a circular top, a depending annular skirt, and a sleeve gasket secured at its lower end to the lower margin of said skirt, and thereby held against bodily movement upward, the upper end of the gasket, when the closure is in normal sealing positlon under vacuum, terminating short of the secondary sealing surface, a lower portion of the skirt being flared to impart a generally frustoconical shape to the gasket whereby the diameter of the upper end thereof normally is less than the exterior surface of the bead.

' JOHN HOHL.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS White Dec. 26, 1944 

